Changing a reservation

[newtandkaren]

Hello! I have never booked a reservation and had to change it, but I am planning to do so this year. I have a question about tactics for doing so.

What happens if I book at my home resort 11 months out, but want to book at a different resort at 7 months out and the points for the new reservation are fewer? Do the points roll back into my account or do I lose them?

Also, would you recommend calling Disney member services to make the change, as opposed to cancelling and rebooking online myself?

Any advice is welcome. Thank you!

 

[cheese5]

It is easy to modify a reservation online. You can change the dates, resort, and room type. I did this with 6 reservations recently. Fast, easy, clear.

If you have spare points leftover after your modification, I ASSUME the points will fall under the same rules as a cancellation and rebook: they go back to their Use Year.

 

[Marionnette]

Hello! I have never booked a reservation and had to change it, but I am planning to do so this year. I have a question about tactics for doing so.

What happens if I book at my home resort 11 months out, but want to book at a different resort at 7 months out and the points for the new reservation are fewer? Do the points roll back into my account or do I lose them?

Also, would you recommend calling Disney member services to make the change, as opposed to cancelling and rebooking online myself?

Any advice is welcome. Thank you!

You don't cancel and rebook. You modify the reservation to the new dates or resort. Any surplus points that were used to reserve the first trip are returned to you. If the change occurs less than 31 days before arrival, those surplus points go into holding. If they are banked or borrowed points, they need to be used before the end of the UY.

Note: As of today, DVC has suspended holding. Any points that go back to your account as a result of canceling inside of 31 days will be returned without restrictions. DVC is also returning borrowed points to their original UY when a reservation is canceled or modified to release those points. Both of these are temporary due to COVID and can end at any time.

 

[newtandkaren]

That is all super helpful. Thanks so much!

 

[Wedgeout]

As posted, it’s not a cancel, you modify it. It auto makes the switch. I recently modified seeing a different resort pop up availability. It was quick. It was also 2 points less and my bank immediately adjusted to the new total.

 

[mattywisco]

As posted, it’s not a cancel, you modify it. It auto makes the switch. I recently modified seeing a different resort pop up availability. It was quick. It was also 2 points less and my bank immediately adjusted to the new total.

Can you just modify a portion of the reservation without losing the rest (for instance 3 of the 7 nights) or would that remove the other 4 nights?

 

[starry_solo]

Can you just modify a portion of the reservation without losing the rest (for instance 3 of the 7 nights) or would that remove the other 4 nights?

Nope, not unless you have two separate reservation numbers.

 

[Wedgeout]

Can you just modify a portion of the reservation without losing the rest (for instance 3 of the 7 nights) or would that remove the other 4 nights?

Pretty sure it’s that block keeping the 7. If modified to 3. Would make a new reservation for those other 4. Once split resorts or room type change at same resort, its multiple reservations. My trip is a 2 night + 3 night - two reservations. I modified my 2 night reservation.

 

[Sandisw]

Can you just modify a portion of the reservation without losing the rest (for instance 3 of the 7 nights) or would that remove the other 4 nights?

If doing a split stay is something you want, then make your initial trip as two different ones in the same room type. If you end up at 7 months not getting what you want, then you can ask them to make it one.

But, modifications online are all or nothing. MS has the same limitations in that they have to change the first one to pick up the other nights at the different resorts,

Now, if you have some extra points, you can try at 7 months to book what you can in the new resort, and modify the old one after to drop those nights.

 

[AquaDyne]

Do the points roll back into my account or do I lose them?

You won't lose them. As stated earlier, in general, they all go back into the same use year the reservation was in.

The only concern you might have is if you made an irreversible transaction such as borrowing points from a future year. Even if you cancel, those points remain borrowed, so you'll want to make sure when booking the new reservation that you use up those borrowed points first. You *might* be able to do that online, but personally whenever there is any question on which points need to be used, I like to call in and speak to a human.

 

[a742246]

I believe you can not modify the primary guest online you would have to call MS to do this.

example: Let's say you can not make the reservation and you give/sell it to someone else, you would have to call MS to change the name on the reservation.

 

[Sandisw]

I believe you can not modify the primary guest online you would have to call MS to do this.

example: Let's say you can not make the reservation and you give/sell it to someone else, you would have to call MS to change the name on the reservation.

Yes, lead guest is the only one who can’t be changed online. You can add others.

 

[AquaDyne]

I believe you can not modify the primary guest online you would have to call MS to do this.

I have done this over chat. Which is kinda like “online” and calling MS but neither or both.

 

[newtandkaren]

As I sit on hold awaiting DVC member services, can someone explain the difference in "available to bank" and "available to borrow"? It is confusing to me how I make a reservation by clicking to use the points that are "available to bank"? I am afraid to click this because the banking is final. The points available for banking are Aug 2020 use year and these are the points I want to use for my reservation. I hope this question makes sense

 

[Sandisw]

As I sit on hold awaiting DVC member services, can someone explain the difference in "available to bank" and "available to borrow"? It is confusing to me how I make a reservation by clicking to use the points that are "available to bank"? I am afraid to click this because the banking is final. The points available for banking are Aug 2020 use year and these are the points I want to use for my reservation. I hope this question makes sense

Right now you are in your Aug 2020 UY. If you bank those points, they move to your Aug 2021 UY for trips starting Aug 1st.

Borrowing moves them to a trip in an earlier UY..so, if you borrow your Aug 2021 UY, it moves them into your Aug 2020 UY for trips starting today until July 31st.

Everything is when you want to take your trip. If you are traveling during your 2020 UY, then you don’t need to to anything with 2020 points. If you want to travel after you start your 2021 UY, Aug 1st, then you want to bank 2020 UY points.

 

[newtandkaren]

Phew. I think I get it now. Thanks! Finally did get a CM after 45 minutes on hold but got the reservation I needed. Yay!